Gone are the days when basic wear would mean sporting your run-of-the-mill tank top and denim jeans. The 21st century has become accustomed to artisanal styling, letting individuality to be expressed freely (especially in clothes!). We welcome you to the new age of self-expression right down to the basics!
Get creative with your casual garb by adorning your own taste of accents with denim and classic basic tops from the brand that is all about sartorial dressing – H&M.
Radical Rebel
Switch up your casual bottoms with a lightly frayed denim mini-skirt for that added throwback flare. For those old souls, tie on a printed scarf around your neck to add character and color to a plain tee. Slip on some sneaker sides and classic aviators and you’re ready to hit the streets!
Body Language
Add your own personality with a white billowy off-shoulder that’s unlike any other. Match it with denim shorts with flirty scallop lining and loud accessories to tie it all together. Add maroon tassel earrings and silver heeled slides to make a statement on an all-basic ensembleEnsembleA complete, coordinated outfit in which each garment and accessory is chosen to work together as one look. Stylists build ensembles around a theme, color story, or occasion, and theGo to Ensemble Glossary.
Damsel of Denim
As 90s fashion visits us once more, maximize the denim-on-denim trend and mix a classic faded denim jacket with equally distressed shorts. Mix in a basic black tee and the crowd-favorite white sneaker to make your OOTD comfy all throughout.
Game, Set, Swatch
Denim jeans are the newest canvas for any fashion girl. Wide leg pants give a vintageVintageClothing and accessories that are at least 20 years old and represent the style of a particular era, valued for their quality and uniqueness. Vintage shopping supports sustainable fashion, andGo to Vintage Glossary feel to a basic ensemble, made more exciting with different swatches of denim as pantleg details. Trade up your usual basic tank with a flowy too that you can easily take from day to night.
Mellow Yellow
Opt for bright accessories to louden a basic outfit. Easy on the distressed trend on your denim jeans and go for trousers with lightly ripped hem detail. Hold on to a tangerine clutch bag, 80’s vintage aviators, and comfy slides for taking on the town!
Beaming Baby
Casual dressing should never mean lazy or boring! Beam with pride with a different take on a white tee by opting for a white linen cropped top paired with dark denim scallop shorts. Have some fun accessorizingAccessorizingThe art of completing an outfit with bags, jewelry, belts, scarves, hats, eyewear, and shoes. Thoughtful accessorizing can elevate a simple look, add personality, and shift an outfit from dayGo to Accessorizing Glossary, starting with statement sunnies, black tassel earrings, and stark white sneakers.
Words: Louise Sicat | Art: Mina Aglipay| Photographer: Miggy Abesamis | Styling: Dyn Montalban
Frequently Asked Questions
Add individual accents to basic tops and denim, the feature advises: a printed scarf on a plain tee, scallop-lined denim shorts with loud accessories, or bright accessories like a tangerine clutch on a basic outfit. The article frames the new wave of basics as self-expression.
Maximize the 90s denim-on-denim trend by mixing a classic faded denim jacket with equally distressed shorts, the feature suggests. Add a basic black tee and white sneakers to keep the outfit comfy throughout the day. The article ties the look to 90s fashion returning.
Wide-leg pants give a vintage feel to a basic ensemble, and different swatches of denim as pantleg details make them more exciting, according to the feature. For a lighter approach, trousers with a lightly ripped hem detail go easy on the distressed trend.
The feature suggests bright and loud accessories on basics: maroon tassel earrings and silver heeled slides, a tangerine clutch with 80s vintage aviators and comfy slides, or statement sunnies with black tassel earrings and white sneakers. A printed scarf also adds character and color to a plain tee.
Try a different take on the basic white tee with a white linen cropped top and dark denim scallop shorts, or swap a basic tank for a flowy top that goes from day to night. A white billowy off-shoulder top with denim shorts is another option.
